Okay, I admit it, I'm a knucklehead! More than once I've referred to myself as the low-tech poster child of the photographic community. My passion is in helping you raise the bar on your marketing and business efforts, but I do take a shot now and then, usually with a LUMIX camera in my hand.

Here's the scenario:

Every month I write an article for Shutter Magazine. I've had a column with Sal Cincotta's amazing publication from the beginning. Well, in the online edition there's always a short video to go with the story. Since I don't do a lot of videos, the settings on the camera are always the same.

My article for the upcoming July issue is all about building a solid Customer Service approach for your business, and the video I wanted to use was one of my favorites to date. We all take life too seriously sometimes, and the opportunity to film in a different location from my office was destined to be a classic. However, here's the point for today's post - NEVER assume everything on your camera is set up the right way!

I had forgotten we switched cameras for the last video and in the process changed the settings on the camera I had with me last week. The result was a great little video all shot at too low a resolution for the magazine to use, but it still cracks me up, so I'm sharing it anyway. Later today I'll be recording it again, but there's nothing in Sarasota to match the original Georgia location!

This upcoming article is one of my favorite topics and critical to the growth and sustainability of your business. You've got to build a reputation based on solid Customer Service. And, to my point in this video, the best way to neutralize an upset client is to empathize simply with one simple sentence or two:

"I understand you're upset. The buck stops here. How can I help?"

Then, just kick back and listen.

Check out my full article in the new issue of Shutter Magazine. Subscribing is just a click away.

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"Why?"

Check out"Why?" one of the most popular features on the SCU Blog.It's a very simple concept - one image, one artist and one short sound bite. Each artist shares what makes the image one of their most favorite. We're coming up on 100 artists featured since the project started. Click on the link above and you can scroll through all of the episodes to date.

Authors

Skip Cohen is President of SCU, founder of Marketing Essentials International and past president of Rangefinder Publishing and WPPI. He's been an active participant in the photographic industry since joining Hasselblad USA in 1987 as president. He has co-authored six books on photography and actively supports dozens of projects each year involving photographic education.

Scott Bourne

Scott Bourne was the first Dean of Marketing at SCU. He helped to establish this blog as a resource for aspiring and working professional photographers. He's an educator, artist, author and from time to time you'll see his name on guest posts that are always relevant to photography and marketing!